Atonement
by Wedjat
Summary: After the Orichalcos ordeal, Yugi's trust in the Pharaoh is shaken. Yami attempts to mend their bond, but when Kaiba's dark destiny is finally fulfilled, can Yugi and the Pharaoh work together to save themselves -- and the world -- from his power?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I don't care how innocent and loving Yugi is, if I were him, I would've been a mess after what the Pharaoh did. That's why I've decided to rewrite the ending of the Doma Arc. Yugi expresses his pain over the Pharaoh's betrayal, and the Pharaoh will work double time to earn Yugi's trust back. This is how I think they should've handled the story, it would've added so much more depth to their bond, and let's face it, it would've been much more believable. Besides, I think a lot of us like to see the Pharaoh suffer a little because it shows how deep his love for Yugi is. He doesn't show it as much otherwise. I hope you like it, review please!

And to those who read my other story, "Broken," I'm just a little stuck on my next chapter, but I'm sure that won't last too long.

---

**Atonement**

_**Chapter One**_

**---**

"If you want to wipe out mankind you'll have to go through _me_!"

Yugi stared at the Pharaoh in horror as the evil laughter of Dartz echoed in the air.

"I'm going to enjoy this!"

The dark creature lunged at the Pharaoh, snapping its jaws to trap his soul inside. Yugi heard the Pharaoh cry out in pain, and he stepped toward the sound involuntarily. The Leviathan transformed itself into a vortex of sorts, and Yugi could see his other half screaming inside.

"No! Let him go!" Yugi ran forward to aid his friend, but the Pharaoh held up a cautionary hand.

"No, get back! This is my battle now! I must prove that the rage within me is gone!"

Yugi froze. His blood turned to ice as he remembered the Pharaoh's betrayal:

"_Pharaoh, no!" Yugi cried out, doing his best to restrain his own arm._

"_We must do this…now let me go!" The Pharaoh snapped, pulling his arm away in a sudden burst of rage. "Now I activate, the Seal of Orichalcos!" He slipped the card into the slot and the Seal appeared on the field. The Pharaoh cried out in surprise as the mystical energies of the Seal coursed through him, unlocking the darkness within._

"_NO!" Yugi screamed, but it was too late. The Seal had separated them from one another, and the Pharaoh had given in to his inner darkness._

Yugi blinked as he tried to pull his thoughts away from that horrible memory. He looked at the Pharaoh again as he continued to explain. "When I played that card, I unlocked the evil within my heart. Ever since, I have been fighting the anger within me! And now it's destroying me!"

Yugi looked down at the floor as the Pharaoh continued to hold out against the pain. "But…you…you stopped it, didn't you?"

"No, defeating you in that duel was just the first step, I have a long way to go…"

Yugi snapped his head up to look at his partner. The Pharaoh was barely standing as the darkness continued to engulf him. The spirit grimaced and cried out yet again. "Get out of there while you still can!" Yugi screamed to him in desperation.

The Pharaoh turned to him. "No, you _must _trust me!"

Yugi blinked again. He stared into the face of his closest friend, his other half, and remembered. He remembered everything he had gone through. He remembered the Pharaoh's betrayal. He remembered all of the fear and suffering he and his friends had experienced throughout the recent years. He averted his eyes from his partner and took a deep breath.

"I…I can't."

The Pharaoh stared at Yugi with wide eyes. "What are you saying, Yugi?"

Yugi looked him in the eye with a newfound conviction. "Let's face it, Pharaoh! The last time you made a decision against my wishes, you lost my soul!"

The Pharaoh's jaw dropped ever so slightly and his eyes filled with tears of misery. "I…I'm sorry…"

Yugi stepped toward the vortex angrily. "That's not good enough! I don't want your apologies! I want my life back!" He dropped to his knees and stared blankly ahead. "Look at what my life has become! Instead of doing homework and falling in love, I'm out here, risking my life again and again! I'm tired of it! I just can't take it anymore!" Tears filled his eyes. "The person that matters the most to me won't even listen to my small request! You're constantly being taken away from me, why can't you just give me what I want for a change?"

The Pharaoh face twisted with pain. "Yugi, stop this!" He snarled.

Yugi looked up at him again. "No! You have made so many decisions for me, but when I ask you to do something _my _way, you don't listen!" He pointed at the Pharaoh. "Get out of there, now!"

The Pharaoh stared at him, dumbstruck. "I can't Yugi, this must end now!" He cried out, desperately trying to get through to his other half.

Yugi looked down at the Millennium Puzzle. He felt hot tears trickle down his cheeks as he admired the golden pendant. "You're right…this must end now…"

The Pharaoh blinked at Yugi incredulously. "What do you mean?"

Yugi glared up at him. "I have worn this Puzzle! I have kept your soul with mine, safe and sound! It has been a burden weighing down my heart! It has brought me nothing but disaster!" He wrapped his fingers around the chain. "It's over! I'm done, _we're _done!"

The Pharaoh reached out to him. "No, Yugi, please! Listen to reason!"

Yugi shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. "Shut up! For once, just shut up!" He ripped the chain from his neck and tossed it away from him. He backed away from it as if it were a diseased rat. "I'm…I'm done…"

The Pharaoh dropped his arm to his side in defeat. "Yugi…"

Dartz's laughter was heard again. "Yes, Yugi…it is all the Pharaoh's fault. I can help you. Just make him feel even more of your pain, and I can erase him from existence…you can go back to school. You can be with your friends and fall in love, just like you want."

The Pharaoh shook his head desperately. "No, don't listen to him! Please!"

Yugi pretended to not even hear either of them. He stared at the Millennium Puzzle, a thousand voices screaming in his head to choose a side. It was no contest.

"Pharaoh, you are far too weak to resist the power of the Great Leviathan! Your pain and suffering over little Yugi's revelation has made sure of that!" Dartz laughed yet again. "Prepare to be erased from existence, Pharaoh! This is farewell!"

The Pharaoh closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable. _Anything is better than Yugi's hatred…_

Yugi snapped out of his stupor and grabbed the Millennium Puzzle. He threw it around his neck and lunged at the vortex in a sudden surge of rage. The Puzzle started to glow, and his hands met the Pharaoh's side in a forceful push. The Pharaoh's eyes shot open as he felt himself tumbling out of the vortex. He gaped at Yugi when he realized what had happened.

Yugi fell down on one knee. The power of the Leviathan's vortex was crippling, and he could feel his very soul being torn apart at the seams. He breathed heavily as he tried to find the strength to banish the beast, but it eluded him. He shut his eyes tightly as he fought against the pain, but it was unbearable. He screamed in agony as the darkness clawed at his heart.

He could barely hear the Pharaoh's desperate cries over his own fading heartbeat. It thundered in his ears as he realized that he had finally pushed the envelope. He had known that there was no way he could survive so much without a scratch, but he never expected that his own blind loyalty to the Pharaoh and mankind would be his downfall. Tears slipped past his eyelids as he felt the darkness swallowing him whole. It was cold and persistent as it wormed its way through Yugi's heart and mind. His whole body felt like ice and he began to shiver.

"You young fool! Your rage at the Pharaoh only fuels the Great Leviathan! You cannot even hope to survive, and once you're out of the way, it will make short work of the Pharaoh as well!" Dartz yelled out confidently.

The Pharaoh felt absolutely helpless as he watched his partner being consumed by the Leviathan. He knew he had to do something, but he had no idea what. He turned his face away from the scene and squeezed his eyes shut. He had never felt such tremendous pain.

"_No matter what, as long as we're together, we can face any evil that comes our way!"_

The Pharaoh opened his eyes. Yugi had said those words to him before, and in his heart, he knew them to be true. He needed to be with his other half, even if it was just to face their inevitable demise. As long as they were together, that was all that mattered.

The Pharaoh ran toward the vortex but Yugi glowered at him. "Stay back! Don't come near me!" He screamed, his voice faltering from the pain he was experiencing.

The Pharaoh stared deep into Yugi's eyes and continued to move toward him. Despite the livid expression on his partner's face, he knew that if they had any chance at all, they had to be together. He stepped into the vortex, immediately feeling the overwhelming force of the Great Beast. He used all of his strength to reach Yugi's side, and he squatted next to him. His eyes bore deeply into those of his other half as he spoke: "No matter what happens, we're in this together."

Yugi shook his head vehemently. "We're done!"

The Pharaoh clenched his jaw and spoke through gritted teeth. "I don't care what you say, Yugi, you can't survive this alone!" He scolded fiercely.

Yugi looked away from the Pharaoh. He could feel himself slipping away, and he knew that he didn't have much time left. He yelped as he suffocated in his own rage. He swallowed hard and tried to let go, but it was too difficult. The Pharaoh's betrayal had cut deeper trenches in his heart than he had previously thought.

The spirit grabbed Yugi's hand. The boy looked at him, his eyes barely open as the Leviathan continued to devour him. The spirit cringed at the sight, but he swallowed his heartache and tried to be strong. "Yugi…"

Yugi's eyes fluttered, and the effort to keep himself grounded was too much for him. He furrowed his brow as he spoke to his other half. "This is all…my fault…"

The Pharaoh gasped as Yugi fell to the ground lifelessly. He screamed in agony at the sight, and he felt a new fire burning in his heart. He closed his eyes and took control of the shell Yugi had left behind. He stood with new determination.

"That was your fatal mistake, Dartz!"

He glared up into the vortex he was now alone in. "You forgot about one thing! The Great Beast was beaten back once before by the light in peoples' souls, and now that it is but a shadow of what it once was, I can do that again!"

Dartz dismissed this. "Don't be ridiculous, Pharaoh! There isn't a shred of light in your soul, especially now that your other half is about to become one with the Great Leviathan!"

The Pharaoh smirked. "There is one glimmer of hope in my heart, Dartz! The light that Yugi left behind still burns within me like a powerful inferno! It's love." He swallowed against the lump that had formed in his throat as he placed a hand over his heart. "My love for Yugi knows no bounds!"

He closed his eyes and a faint golden glow covered his entire body. He suddenly felt safe, and no pain penetrated the light. He smiled fondly. "This is for Yugi," he whispered. The strength and determination returned to his face as he spread his arms far apart as if he wished to embrace the vortex. "With all of the light in my heart, I banish thee! Be gone!"

The golden light that emanated from the Pharaoh expanded, engulfing the darkness and blinding everyone. The spirit squinted through the light, trying to determine whether or not he had been successful. When he heard Dartz scream in shock and anguish, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The light soon vanished, and the Pharaoh's ability to see returned. When it cleared, the darkness was gone as well. The Pharaoh frowned as he looked down at the Puzzle. "But…Yugi…"

"He never left you."

The Pharaoh looked up in surprise. Ironheart stood next to the unconscious form of Dartz with his granddaughter, Chris.

"The Great Leviathan hadn't succeeded in taking his soul yet, you had perfect timing. If you had waited any longer, your little friend's soul would've been destroyed," Chris explained, beaming at the Pharaoh. She kneeled next to Dartz. "Wake up, father! We have a lot of catching up to do!"

The Pharaoh took a wary step back as Dartz opened his eyes and slowly pulled himself off the ground. Chris threw her arms around him and he smiled. He turned to the Pharaoh, his smile replaced by a grim expression.

"I will forever be in your debt, Pharaoh. I…I apologize for everything I have done…"

The Pharaoh held up a hand to keep him from saying anything else. "I fully understand what it is like for your inner darkness to take control of you. Don't apologize…there is no need for it."

Dartz gave him a small smile. "Thank you. I do hope we meet again."

The Pharaoh gave him a thumbs up gesture. "Likewise."

Ironheart pointed to the portal behind the Pharaoh. "It's time for you to return to your world. Take care, Pharaoh, great things await you."

The Pharaoh smiled. "Thank you, for everything."

He turned around to walk out of the portal. He hesitated as he felt Yugi's soul stabilizing inside of him. Cold dread gripped at his heart as he thought of the hatred Yugi harbored toward him. He prayed silently that Yugi's anger had dissipated.

He pressed on and entered the portal. As he felt himself being pulled through, he suddenly lost consciousness.

--------

Yugi opened his eyes slowly. He recognized the sound of crashing waves and inferred that he had washed up on a beach somewhere. The question, however, wasn't where he was: it was how he got there.

He pulled himself up and turned around to look out over the ocean. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, casting an orange glow on the landscape. He breathed in deeply as the memories of his confrontation with the Pharaoh returned to him. He clenched his hands into fists as he recalled every word he had said to his other half. That's when a thought struck him. He frowned in confusion. "What happened?" He thought aloud.

"We won."

Yugi gritted his teeth at the sound of that voice. "_You _won."

The Pharaoh walked in front of him and turned to face him. He searched Yugi's eyes, desperately trying to find a shred of the love they had once shared. His heart shattered into a million pieces as he realized that love was very much one sided at the moment.

"I couldn't have done it without your light, Yugi," he said quietly.

Yugi turned his face away from his partner. "It's my fault that it even happened in the first place."

The Pharaoh shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous, it was no one's _fault._"

Yugi nodded slowly. "Yes it was. I completed the Millennium Puzzle. I unleashed the power of the Shadows on the earth. I gave Dartz the opportunity he needed to resurrect the Great Leviathan." He looked back into the Pharaoh's eyes. "I set you free."

The Pharaoh felt cold after hearing Yugi's cruel words. "You don't mean that…"

Yugi lurched forward angrily. "You can't tell me what I mean and what I don't! Face it! The world would've been better off if you had never come back!"

The spirit gawked at Yugi. "Where is this coming from? You seemed fine until I asked you to trust me."

Yugi nodded. "That's just it, you made me realize that I don't trust you."

The spirit turned his back on Yugi. He gazed out over the ocean with pain in his heart. "Please…just tell me what I can do to make it up to you…"

Yugi laughed. "It's not that simple! You can't take back what you did, and you can't just make it all go away! The fact is, you betrayed me Pharaoh, and that opened my eyes to what you really are!"

The spirit whirled around to glare at him. "And what am I, Yugi?" He growled.

Yugi dug his fingernails into his palms and bit his bottom lip as he fought to contain his anger. "You're a liar!"

The Pharaoh blinked in surprise. He stared at Yugi with a passive expression on his face. "I have never lied to you, Yugi."

Yugi looked away, his eyes glistening with new tears. "You always said that we were partners. You convinced me that we would work together, no matter what happened. I thought we were a team…" He sighed and began to shake. "I was wrong."

The Pharaoh took a step toward him, but he backed away. "Yugi, please…we _are _partners. We have a bond that no one could break, not even with a thousand swords. I made one mistake, _please_…" The spirit dropped to his hands and knees. He stared at the sand as tears blurred his vision. "I'm _begging _for your forgiveness…"

Yugi removed the Millennium Puzzle from around his neck and looked at it. "I don't want that bond…not anymore," he whispered between tears. He ground his teeth together as he glared at the object. "I want to be alone."

The Pharaoh looked up at him. "You'll never be alone."

Yugi shook his head. He heard the sound of a helicopter landing on the other side of the beach. He heard the faint cries of his friends as they raced toward him. An overwhelming calm overtook him as he realized what he had to do.

"I know a way to break that bond."

The Pharaoh jumped to his feet and caught Yugi by the shoulders. "Yugi, NO! Don't do it!" He screamed desperately.

Yugi swallowed hard and ignored his other half. He shrugged off the Pharaoh's hands and turned around. He kneeled beside a rock and raised the Puzzle high above his head. He felt the spirit's fingers wrap around the object in a vain attempt to keep him from completing his task.

"Please, Yugi! I will do anything, just don't go through with this!"

Yugi squeezed his eyes shut and screamed. "Shut up! Just leave me alone!" He brought the Puzzle down on the rock with surprising force. He felt the many pieces crumble in his hands as it came into contact with the hard surface. Without opening his eyes, he leaned forward and rested his head on the rock. He sobbed uncontrollably as his friends watched him in shock.

Joey, Tristan and Téa could hardly believe what they were seeing. They had never seen Yugi filled with so much anger and at the _Pharaoh _no less.

They watched their small friend in silence as they all tried to guess what had happened. They couldn't imagine something coming between Yugi and the Pharaoh. Their link was so strong that it had survived a lot over the years.

After a while, Yugi raised his head and slowly began to gather the pieces of the Puzzle. He knew deep down that he would eventually put it back together and face his other half, but in that moment it seemed out of the question. Joey kneeled beside his friend and started to pick up pieces as well. The pair didn't say a word to each other as they worked. Lastly, Joey picked up the chain and put it around his own neck for safekeeping. When they finished, they stood up and walked toward the others.

Tristan held out his hands to Yugi. "I can…take those if you would like," he offered, nodding his head in the direction of the pieces. Yugi gave him a small, grateful smile as he dumped the pieces into his friend's hands.

Téa placed her hands on Yugi's shoulders in an attempt to comfort him. She sighed sadly. Even though she had strong feelings for the Pharaoh, her loyalty to her best friend surpassed that. "I'm really glad that you're okay, Yugi…"

Yugi nodded absent-mindedly. "Thanks Téa…" his voice cracked from the many tears he had cried.

Téa winced at the sound of his weak voice. She gave Yugi a small nudge in the direction of the helicopter. "We better get out of here before Kaiba decides to take off without us."

Yugi gave an awkward laugh. "Yeah, I'm sure his urge to help us is wearing off."

Joey scratched his head and laughed half-heartedly. "Yeah…that's good ol' money bags for ya…"

The four of them walked in silence to the vehicle. Yugi noticed Mokuba and Seto standing in the doorway of the helicopter, watching him carefully. Yugi sighed. _They saw…_he thought sadly. He braced himself for Seto's sarcastic remarks, but they never came. He passed the young CEO and stepped inside, and not one word was said.

Kaiba followed Yugi inside and sat down. He watched Joey and Tristan carry in the remnants of the Puzzle with a troubled heart. _I've never seen Yugi act like that before…_he thought, _seeing someone as friendly and kind-hearted as him lash out so aggressively is unsettling to say the least._

As the helicopter took off from the island, Yugi stared out of the window. His friends didn't try to disturb him, for they were all still slightly afraid of his anger. They had no way of knowing that his rage had been replaced by a painful emptiness. Even though he was furious with his other half, he couldn't help but feel incomplete without their connection. He didn't let that influence his actions, though. He wasn't ready to forgive the Pharaoh, and he wasn't sure how long it would take for that time to come.


	2. Chapter 2

---

**Atonement**

_**Chapter Two**_

**---**

"Wheeler, a moment, please."

Joey frowned as he turned around. Kaiba was standing there with his arms crossed. His expression wasn't friendly, but his tone had been unusually polite.

"Uh…sure Kaiba," he replied uneasily as he followed the tall brunette away from the others. They had landed at Kaiba Land, Kaiba's new amusement park. Everyone had decided to relax on the campgrounds there for the rest of the day instead of returning home…everyone except for the Kaiba brothers.

Once they were out of the others' hearing range, Kaiba turned to face the blonde. He heaved a great sigh before speaking. "Wheeler, your friend needs serious help."

Joey slowly looked over at the friend in question. Yugi was alone. He was lying on his stomach far away from the others and admiring his Duel Monsters cards. His expression was unreadable.

Joey nodded. "I know…whatever happened between him and the Pharaoh has really shaken him up."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Don't start with the ancient Egyptian nonsense again. I don't believe a word of it."

Joey groaned. "You're so arrogant it kills me."

Kaiba ignored him and watched Yugi. "I think Yugi needs a break. He helped me, so I'm going to help him. I'm inviting all of you to stay here, free of charge. Hopefully a little vacation will give him time to recover from…whatever."

Joey looked at the young CEO curiously. "You care! I knew you had a heart, I totally knew."

Kaiba laughed. "Don't read too much into it, mutt. I'm only trying to even things out between Yugi and I."

Joey shrugged. "Whatever you say, money bags."

Kaiba shook his head and began to walk away. He looked at Joey over his shoulder. "I _do _hope he gets better."

Joey watched as the businessman left without another word. He smiled. "You care," he whispered.

_**~~Three Days Later~~**_

Yugi's eyes were closed as he lay in the grass. For a moment he felt peaceful and serene as the wind ruffled his tri-colored hair. His lips curved upward in a smile. His hands closed over clumps of grass. He tugged gently, not wanting to kill the plants, but still needing to do something.

He sighed as his mind once again became clouded with memories and thoughts. He recalled the events that had taken place in the presence of Dartz and the Great Beast. He remembered his confrontation with the Pharaoh. Images of the shattered Puzzle came to his mind and he frowned. He pulled harder on the grass subconsciously, causing it to rip out of the earth. His eyes flew open as he brought the handfuls of grass to his eye level. He felt guilty for taking the life of a living organism, no matter how common or insignificant it seemed to be. He gently laid down the remnants of the plant and stared up at the sky.

He surveyed the clouds. He smiled radiantly as he noticed one of them resembling a puppy. It reminded him of Joey. Even if Joey saw that as an insult, Yugi didn't see it as one. Puppies were sweet and loyal, exactly like the energetic blonde. Yugi's smile was wiped from his face, however, as he noticed the next cloud. It was larger and much darker than Joey's cloud. It looked as if it were going to rain, and it made him think of the ever present sadness lingering in the pit of his heart. It cried out for Yugi to forgive and forget. It longed to be with _him_.

Yugi averted his eyes from the cloud. He wasn't about to let it get to him. No matter how much he wanted to be with his partner again, he needed his time alone. The Pharaoh had hurt him more than he could have ever thought possible. He had betrayed Yugi and abandoned his trust. Yugi wasn't normally the kind of person that held a grudge, but this was different. He thought he was able to rely on the Pharaoh for anything, but the spirit's own arrogance and self-righteousness had destroyed that.

He gritted his teeth but refrained from pulling out more of the defenseless grass. Instead, he resorted to twisting the individual blades around his fingers. Something about the action was strangely distracting, and a small smile soon returned to his face. He jumped slightly when he noticed something crawling on his hand. He sighed in relief as he realized that it was only a ladybug. He brought his hand up to his eyes and watched it as it navigated the back of his hand.

The creature reminded him of the Pharaoh. It was dependent on Yugi for protection. If Yugi had left it to fend for itself, it would have probably been killed by some sort of predator. The same applied to the spirit. He was constantly in danger. Predators from around the globe preyed on him, searching for ways to exploit him and his powers.

Yugi frowned. The ladybug, however, was a harmless creature. It didn't bring harmful effects down on its protector as the Pharaoh did. It didn't betray its protector as the Pharaoh did. It didn't break the heart of its protector as the Pharaoh did.

Yugi watched glumly as the ladybug took flight. It flew confidently and quietly into the world, and Yugi was a little bit sad to see it go. He sighed as he stood up. He shoved his hands into his pockets and dragged his feet as he made his way back to the cabin. He stared at the ground as he approached, not wanting to see the looks on his friends' faces. He knew what he would find: pity and disappointment.

None of them understood what he was going through. None of them could possibly know how it felt to lose a part of their soul. He knew they were just trying to help him, but they couldn't. He could only help himself, and once he was ready, the Pharaoh would have to do his part as well.

He tensed at the thought of talking to the Pharaoh again. He wasn't sure how long it would take for him to trust his other half. He didn't think they could get back to what they had had before the Orichalcos catastrophe had taken place. There was too much bad blood between them. Tears sprung to Yugi's eyes as he mourned their friendship. It meant the world to him, but he wasn't going to be blinded by hope.

He slipped into the cabin quietly, but the others were already awake. They had gathered around the table and started to eat breakfast. Each of their heads snapped up as Yugi entered. They eyed him curiously as he quickly set himself up with a bowl of cereal.

Yugi took his place next to Téa and silently began to eat his food. Joey sighed sadly as he leaned toward his friend. "Yuge, come with us to the amusement park today. We're gonna have a great time, I know you'd love it!"

Yugi pretended not to hear him. As much as he wanted to partake, he didn't want to dampen his friends' spirits with his own depression.

Duke cleared his throat. "Yeah, come on, man, the roller coasters are amazing!"

Yugi gave a short laugh. "I'm afraid of heights."

Duke recoiled in embarrassment. "Oh…sorry, I didn't know."

Yugi shook his head in dismissal. "S'okay."

Tristan slammed his fist down on the table, startling everyone. Yugi didn't look up from his cereal, however. He merely took another bite as he waited for Tristan to speak.

"You haven't done anything for three days! You need to snap out of this and have a little fun!" Tristan growled impatiently.

Yugi didn't respond with words. Rage suddenly filled his heart. He dropped the spoon and stood up from the table abruptly. He quickly made his way to his room and slammed the door behind him so that his friends knew just how angry he was for their insensitivity.

He threw himself onto his bed and glared up at the ceiling. _They don't understand at all! Can't they at least realize that I'm going through a difficult time right now? I don't feel like having fun! I don't feel like going to an amusement park just because they're feeling pity towards me! _

He fought back tears as he rolled over onto his stomach. He pressed his face into his pillow and groaned. _Kaiba wanted to help me, but I don't see how this is helping me at all…_

He sat up and looked over at the desk. The pieces of the Millennium Puzzle lay scattered on the surface with the chain laid off to the side. Yugi studied them for a moment, waging an internal battle over whether or not it was time. It was an easy war, however.

He threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He walked slowly over to the desk and slid into the chair. He picked up pieces and examined them before attaching them together appropriately. His hands worked quickly as if the pieces were calling out to him. It didn't take too long for the Puzzle to be nearly complete.

Yugi's hand hovered above the final piece. He picked it up hesitantly and flipped it over. It was the piece that belonged in the middle, the one with the eye. He covered it with his fingers and clenched it tightly in his fist. His hand shook as the edges pricked his skin. He shook his head and grabbed the rest of the Puzzle with his other hand. He stood and walked a little bit forward before kneeling on the wooden floor. He laid the Puzzle down and lifted a loose floorboard. He released the final piece and watched it fall into the space. It was covered with his blood. He glanced at his hand and grimaced at the cuts he noticed. He turned his attention to the Puzzle. He raised it up and admired it for a moment.

"I'm just not ready, spirit," he whispered sadly. He gently set the Puzzle beneath the wood floor as well. He gazed at it longingly and heaved a great sigh. "I don't know when I will be."

Yugi replaced the floorboard and walked to his bedroom door. He glanced back at the floorboard over his shoulder before leaving the room. He ignored the others as he exited the cabin. He walked with purpose towards the woods. He needed time alone to collect his thoughts, and a peaceful walk in the woods sounded great.

--------

Unbeknownst to Yugi, Téa had heard his parting words. She had made herself scarce when he exited the room, but when he was safely in the woods, she had reentered. She closed the door behind her quietly so that she wouldn't draw the attention of the others. She was worried about Yugi, and she was determined to do something to help him.

Téa looked at the desk and noticed that all of the pieces of the Puzzle were gone. She sighed. _The Pharaoh would know what to do…he always does, _she thought sadly. She searched the drawers of the desk for the pieces, but no luck. She searched the dresser and closet as well, but there was nothing. She frowned in frustration and dragged her feet toward the bedroom door. _Who was I kidding? Even if I could find the Puzzle, I can't complete it, only Yugi can._

Just as she thought those words, her foot caught on a dislodged floorboard. Téa fell on her face and cried out in surprise. She rubbed her forehead angrily as she glowered at the piece of wood she had tripped on. _If this is such a top notch resort, why do Kaiba's cabins have loose floorboards? _She thought with great distaste.

She blinked as she stared at the piece of wood. _Unless…_

Téa quickly crawled over to it and pried it up with her fingernails. She glanced beneath it and smiled with immense satisfaction. Inside were the Millennium Puzzle and one missing piece.

_It's as if this was meant to be, _she thought with a grin. _Yugi did all of the work for me!_

She grabbed the chain of the Puzzle and then carefully picked up the final piece. She cringed at the sight and nearly dropped it. It was covered in a thin layer of a sticky red substance: blood. She wasn't sure if she was worried or just disgusted.

Nevertheless, she replaced the floorboard and was practically skipping to the bedroom door. No matter how much Téa would deny it if she was asked, she missed the Pharaoh. She missed his confidence and his intellect. She missed his captivating eyes.

Téa quietly tiptoed back to her room. When she reached it, she grabbed a towel and sat down on her bed. She did her best to wipe away the blood, but some of it had already dried. She made a mental note to clean it off later as she prepared to put in the final piece. She placed it over the empty space and hesitated. She merely stared at it for a moment before finally pushing it in with her forefinger.

It immediately began to glow. Téa's heart began to pound in her chest in anticipation. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she hoped that she would be able to speak to the spirit.

"Yugi!"

Téa's eyes widened in shock and she looked up at the familiar spirit. His back was to her, but she instantly recognized who it was.

"…Pharaoh?"

The Pharaoh whirled around to face her with a fierce look in his eyes. It was unsettling for Téa to see him like that. Even so, she had to force herself to look away from his intense gaze.

He was obviously disappointed not to see Yugi. He stared at Téa with great uncertainty. "You completed the Puzzle? How could that possibly be?"

Téa continued to look away from him. "I didn't, Yugi did. He just…left out one piece."

The Pharaoh's eyes flew to the completed Puzzle in Téa's hands. He winced when he noticed the remaining blood on the center piece. _What did Yugi do?_

Téa slowly looked him in the eye again. "I just…I just wanted to speak to you, because I thought that maybe you would be able to help fix everything and-"

"If I knew, I would have never lost my connection to Yugi in the first place!" He snapped venomously.

Téa looked like she had been slapped. His words and tone had stung far more than she would ever admit to anyone.

The Pharaoh's expression softened and he immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry, Téa, I'm just…frustrated and confused."

Téa nodded stiffly, still a little hurt. "Yeah, I know…"

The Pharaoh sighed and walked over to her bed. He sat down next to her and watched her out of the corner of his eye. "How is he?"

Téa took a deep breath. "He's so lost without you, Pharaoh. He rarely talks to us, and I haven't seen a genuine smile on his face in ages."

The Pharaoh stared blankly ahead. "I wish there was some way for me to communicate with him, but he would shut me out if I tried."

Téa knew that he was right. Yugi wasn't ready to forgive the Pharaoh yet, and she wasn't sure how long that would take. She furrowed her brow as she concentrated. _There has to be some way to do it, right?_

Suddenly an idea struck her. She looked over at the Pharaoh. He seemed to be concentrating just as hard as she had been. She timidly waved a hand in front of his eyes, snapping him out of his trance. He turned to look at her with confusion in his eyes.

"What if you talked to him through me?"

The Pharaoh blinked. "Would you really be willing to do that for me?"

Téa smiled. "That's what friends are for, right?" The Pharaoh didn't respond. He just smiled at her warmly. Téa's own face brightened at the sight. "Can't you take control of my body like you did for Yugi?"

The Pharaoh frowned. "I'm not sure; I've never tried to control someone else before."

Téa slipped the Puzzle over her head. "Well, try now."

The Pharaoh stared at her skeptically. "You're serious?"

Téa rolled her eyes. "Yes! Now, try it before I change my mind."

The Pharaoh chuckled and closed his eyes. Téa closed hers as well, unsure of what to expect. "Don't worry, it won't hurt." She smiled when she heard his reassuring voice.

The Pharaoh opened his eyes and looked down. The Puzzle was around his neck, and the body was definitely not his. He sighed in relief and stood up. He felt extremely uncomfortable in a woman's body, and Téa took note of that.

"_Relax, okay?" _She did her best to reassure him.

He sighed. _"It feels wrong. I feel as if I'm invading your privacy. I don't think we should do this," _he replied nervously.

Téa chuckled. _"You're always quite the gentleman, Pharaoh. I'm telling you, I want you to do this." _She braced herself as she thought of a question. _"What does this mean, though? I completed the Puzzle, so now what? What changes?"_

The Pharaoh smirked and seemed to dismiss her questions altogether for a moment. _"Nothing changes for you, Téa. I share a link with Yugi alone. He is the chosen one."_

Téa wasn't sure if she was pleased or disappointed by his answer. _"Okay, well, I had to ask."_

The Pharaoh grabbed a huge black sweatshirt and pulled it on. He zipped it all the way up so that it was covering the Puzzle and headed for the door.

"_Wait a minute, Pharaoh! That's Tristan's! It's huge! I'm not going to let you walk out of here looking like that."_

The Pharaoh scowled. "Téa, I have to hide the Puzzle somehow. This sweatshirt is loose enough that no one will even notice that there's a giant pointy necklace underneath," he said aloud.

Téa wasn't happy, but she relented. _"Fine."_

The Pharaoh pushed the door open and came face to face with Yugi. He stood there in shock, unable to find words to say to his partner. _Did he hear what I just said?_

Yugi gave him a small smile. "Hi, Téa, I was actually just looking for you…do you want to take a walk with me?"

The Pharaoh blinked in surprise. After a mental nudge from the real Téa, he swallowed his fear and nodded. "I'd love to."

Yugi cocked his head to the side curiously. The Pharaoh smiled fondly as he noticed how cute his partner looked when he was confused. "There's something different about your voice."

The Pharaoh frowned. Yugi was right; the voice that came from Téa's mouth was slightly, but noticeably, deeper than it normally was. "I…have a cold."

Yugi looked up at him sadly. "Oh, that's not good! I can make you some chicken noodle soup or something if you'd like."

The Pharaoh beamed at him for his kindness, but at the same time, it stung that he was being kind toward _Téa_, not him. He shook his head. "No, that's alright, let's go on that walk."

Yugi nodded. "Okay, sounds great."

The Pharaoh reached out to him and paused momentarily before touching Yugi on the shoulder. The contact was exciting and new to the spirit. He had never been able to truly touch his partner before, and he was amazed by this new ability. In a surge of emotion, he dropped to his knees and pulled Yugi into a tight hug. "Yugi…I've missed you…"

Yugi's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "Um…Téa?"

The Pharaoh pulled back and blushed as well. "Sorry, you've just been acting so distant lately. It's nice to finally spend time with you."

Yugi smiled as his cheeks darkened even more. "I know. For some reason, I felt drawn to your room. Something told me that I had to talk to you right now," he furrowed his brow in deep thought. "I don't really understand it, but I'm glad I did."

The Pharaoh smiled radiantly and stood. _Could he have sensed my return? _He thought curiously. He gestured toward the cabin door. "Shall we, then?"

Yugi nodded. "We shall."

The two of them headed to the door, one of them deeply confused, and the other happier than he had felt in a long time.

* * *

**A/N: **Still having trouble with Chapter 13 of Broken, so I've worked on this again. I hope you like it! Another thing I hope to explain in my story is how Téa came to care so much about the Pharaoh. Truth be told, I never understood it. She barely knew the guy; they all barely knew him except for Yugi.

Anyway, the Pharaoh and Yugi do some bonding over their little walk and eventual trip to the amusement park. The Pharaoh is seeing Yugi in a new light while Yugi thinks he's Téa…that'll make for some humorous moments, trust me. It is cute fluff, until the main plot of the story runs into them…literally. Stay tuned!


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